A Good Day

Today is a good day.

So thought Doctor Katherine Vella as she strode towards her office within the Excelsior complex.

She had received a certain specific message notifying her about the conclusion of a special task.

Impatiently, she had waited for several weeks for the project to draw to a close its current phase, and finally, an opportunity had arisen for it to move forward.

Though, that's all dependant on whether they decide to serve the purpose I want them to... Damn, it would be so much easier just to completely wipe their slate clean and make them a puppet, she thought.

Although, that would then would bring forth its own moral and ethical dilemma, not to mention the legal consequences of performing such an obscene act.

Free will and all that. How frustrating.

The use of virtual reality as a tool for torture and establishment of mind control experimentation had been explicitly outlawed late in the 21st century, agreed upon by very nearly every nation in the world.

Strict legal obligations were in place, severely restricting the purpose of what virtual technology was capable of, and should, perform. Along with the military, government, and private use of the devices, there were limitations placed upon their functionality.

This was agreed upon at the global caucus so that individuals were protected.

That their rights weren't violated.

There were huge repercussions that awaited those that dared venture into this treacherous realm.

The prison system was no exception, and although prisoners could be isolated as Cole had been, there was nothing illegal about it.

Maybe morally of course, but certainly not legally.

Because during the old prison system, inmates were subject to twenty-four hours, seven days a week isolated lockdown, reminiscent of the late supermax prisons.

This was, therefore, no different than that.

Well, that's what some would argue anyway.

Besides, these were considered the dregs of society, the causation of all its problems, and who caused the most harm to the community.

Murderers, rapists, pedophiles, conmen, thieves, the list was continuous and never-ending.

Whether it truly was or wasn't, was an irrelevant argument as far as the prison system went. Private industry and the last remaining government-run facilities had full leeway to run their prison as they saw fit.

Namely, it was all about the bottom dollar. Income for private corporations and expenditure by government departments.

This was why virtual prisons were the new and preferred innovative system in which those incarcerated were held.

"Doctor Katherine Vella present in the control room!"

An orderly announced her presence upon her entry into the tower.

Even though it was called the tower, whose function was previously to overlook prisoners in the yard during rare moments of outdoor hours, it was now just a room that oversaw the honeycomb structure which contained the astronomical number of inmates.

"Give me an overall update on our guests."

"Certainly ma'am!"

Not deigning to greet them, Doctor Katherine got straight to the point of her visit and waited.

She hated waiting.

Bringing up a series of charts and feeds onto the main screen within the room, an orderly sorted through the relevant data that Doctor Katherine sought.

"This facility is currently at ninety-nine percent capacity, with one percent of those reaching a parole hearing or completion of the sentence within the next thirty days. Of the 100,395 prisoners, ten percent have suffered severe, irreversible psychological damage, thirty percent have mental illnesses and psychological trauma that will require extensive treatment once the sentence is complete, and forty percent have entered a blank, emotionless state, simply numb to their situation."

"Hmm, not bad, not bad that is the usual. Those numbers are expected and tolerable. Have any committed complete severance between body and mind?"

"Not recently ma'am, although there is a number who are bordering close to complete detachment of one's self."

"Alright. If any do attempt that then move them from containment to a separate program and prohibit the action. As much as I hate to do it... Legally we can't permit such action when they are an inmate... We still have a duty of care, unfortunately."

"Of course, ma'am. Those individuals who it's expected will commit the action have been placed under immediate observation and notification by the system."

"Very well. Keep me updated with any other piece of information that has its relevance. I'll be in my office. Don't disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Understood ma'am."

Leaving as quickly as she had arrived, Doctor Katherine entered her office, finally satisfied that the opportunity had arisen where her project would move onto the next stage.

Picking up the pure white helmet of a Paragon Industries full-dive headset, she lay herself down on a comfortable couch and placed it over her head, closing her eyes as she did so.

"System start!"

Without a sense of trepidation or concern with what lay ahead, she only held a focused mind of reaching towards her goal.

She would do whatever necessary to achieve it.

In her world, amongst the corporate elite, Doctor Katherine Vella was a juggernaut.

Diving into the virtual world, she was brought to a room, containing an oak table and couches. Bookshelves laden down with books lined the edges of the room and the large window behind the desk looked out upon an open ocean, as it sat situated along a rugged cliff line.

"Hmm, much better."

She preferred this environment compared to the staleness of the facilities office that belonged to her.

Who could blame her?

Taking a seat behind her desk into the comfortable leather-bound chair, she relaxed and waited.

Not that she had to wait long.

"Notification. System informs Doctor Katherine Vella that the conclusion of the treatment program has been reached to a satisfactory standard, given the parameters authorized. Would you like to speak with the subject?"

A cool, computer-like voice announced.

"Bring him here immediately."

"Command acknowledged. Standby for transmigration of subject to location."

A short distortion of the virtual space occurred and suddenly, as if appearing from thin air, a figure appeared.

Now dressed in a plain overall, the figure sat on its knees hunched over on the ground.

Looking perfectly healthy and none the worse for wear, anyone would have thought that they were perfectly fine.

Except this was the virtual world and looks could be deceiving.

"How are you feeling prisoner G211806233? It's been a while since we last spoke, although speaking isn't exactly what it was now, was it?"

The figure didn't respond, remaining hunched over.

Standing up and approaching the boy, she stood over him and looked down through her glasses at him, irked there had been no response.

"I'm getting very tired of these games you're playing. Are you going to speak or not? I'm a very busy woman you know, I can't honestly keep wasting what precious time I have on you."

"..."

"Tsk!"

Clicking her tongue in annoyance. She placed a heeled foot on a shoulder and kicked him backward, over onto his back.

"Still giving me the silent treatment? That hurts a girl's feelings you know, you shouldn't be so cruel. Didn't your parents teach you to treat women with the proper amount of respect and decency?"

G211806233 didn't respond, simply gazing up at the wooden beams of the ceiling above him.

Frustration mounting, Doctor Katherine chewed a bottom lip in annoyance. This was not going as she had planned.

As it stood, things were being stalled and the momentum she had built up over time was fading fast.

"Well, no matter. Perhaps a further period of time spent back in your containment cell will do you some good. Let's see how long you last when you have absolutely nothing again, you might change your tune and call for me. But I won't come."

This is ridiculous, we're getting nowhere here. What a waste of time and resources, I'll have to begin from scratch, thought Doctor Katherine.

"This is stupid, what a pitiful creature you've become... System. Remit prisoner G211806233 to his cell and leave him there. Strip his clothing and deprive him of his sensory organs once more. I want him returned to that same blank state he was in before collection."

"Command acknowledged. Rebuilding containment and isolation field. Deprivation of senses program ready to be enacted once transport complete. Standby for transmigration of the prisoner."

"Enjoy having only the broken presence of your lonesome self you disgusting thing."

Turning her back on her failed subject, Doctor Katherine began walking back to the comfort of her seat.

This had not been what she expected, in fact, it was the complete opposite.

There had been no doubt in her mind that there would be anything less than the outcome she desired. Yet, here sat the result of that ideal potential.

So frustrating.

There was no fall-back solution to resolve her predicament. Those higher than her who she answered to would not be pleased.

She had informed them of how she never failed, staked her reputation on it, yet...

This was a monumental failure on her behalf. She had promised results and yet yielded only failure.

Her first-ever failure.

It stung.

It was biting.

It was enough to enrage her to the point she would tear the office apart with her bare hands.

The room began its distortion once more, indicating the preparation of moving the boy out of her space and returning him once again to that white room of nothing.

"Wait..."

A voice cracked through the twisting of the space.

"Hmm?"

Doctor Katherine spun around and looked at the person the voice belonged to.

Having climbed up from their back, they now sat once again on their knees, looking towards the floor.

"Wait..."